Chapter 10
Growing up
"I… beg your pardon?" Ozpin asked.
"Who is she?" Dain demanded. "The one who revived Grendel."
"Professor Ozpin, could it be Salem?" Glynda asked.
"Yes, no doubt about it. That can be the only explanation to it." Ozpin muttered to himself. "Dain, do you recall when I told you about Salem?"
"Yes. You claimed she was the leader of the Grimm, but not much about her was discovered." Dain nodded.
"Good to see you were paying attention. But if Ron has encountered her…" Ozpin said.
"Then we can catch him, and make him give us answers!" Dain said, finishing Ozpin's thought.
"Precisely. However… I believe it best if we keep this between everyone in this room. If Nayru were to learn of this, I believe she would do something rash. Given her current mental state, judging from what you told me. I recommend giving her time to… recover." Ozpin said.
"So we have to…" Dain said, mulling over it in his head. Eventually, he nodded. "Understood. It's… it's a secret."
"Thank you. In the meantime, we'll continue to search for him." Ozpin said.
"I appreciate it, sir." Dain said, bowing to him, and then leaving.
"Why did you tell him?" Tyson said in Dain's mind.
"Because I knew he would know. And with his support, finding Ron and tracking him down will be infinitely easier." Dain replied. Tyson, however, simply sighed in indifference.
"Sometimes, you people really confuse me. You do realize that Ozpin will simply try to imprison Grendel instead of killing him, right?" Tyson said.
"I don't mean to kill Ron. Though, trust me when I say that I want Grendel dead more than anything." Dain said
"You realize what you're doing, right? Even with the Astéri, he's still the greatest swordsman to exist. To take him on while Nayru's spirit is still sealed-" Tyson tried to reason.
"Then we'll awaken her. We'll awaken Mariana before he has a chance to strike the academies again." Dain snapped. The elevator doors opened, and Dain exited Beacon Tower. In the distance, Atlas ships had arrived to assist in reconstruction. They brought workers, supplies, food and water, so that the people may live to see Vale reborn.
The weeks passed, which then grew to months. And with it, New life. Taiyang and Raven were engaged shortly after graduating from Beacon, and the next year, their first child. A baby girl, which they named Yang Xiao Long.
However, shortly after Yang's birth, Raven vanished without a trace, leaving Taiyang with their child. At that time, Vale was rebuilt completely. So to take their minds off the stress for a while, the two teams(what remained of them) took a walk through the newly built kingdom
"Well, credit where credit's due, Atlas sure knows how to put the shine into the newness of it all." Nayru said.
"No kidding. Now I think I'M gonna need a guide around here." Summer laughed.
"Won't that be a twist of events?" Dain laughed along, as did Nayru.
"I hear Signal took a beating as well, so they're still rebuilding it a bit." Taiyang added.
"And I'm willing to bet they'll need some new teachers." Summer said. She nudged Taiyang's shoulder.
"I'm good with kids, but not that good. I couldn't do it." Taiyang said.
"Tai, over a year ago, we all killed a fire breathing dragon and saved thousands of lives. I think you can handle training a few kids." Qrow said.
"Yeah, not like the kid's will kill you on the first year. Now, on the second or third year, maybe. And so on and so forth. But point is, you'll have better skills with children, and it'll be easier to raise Yang." Nayru said.
"I guess so." Taiyang mused.
"And besides, it's not like you'll be teaching at Beacon, where every student knows how to take down a fully grown Ursa." Dain added.
"Alright, I get it. If it's what it take, I'll do it." Taiyang said.
"Such a noble man. Why can't you be more like him, Dain?" Nayru said.
"Hey, who's side are you on?" Dain questioned.
"My own. Is that so bad?" Nayru said smartly.
"Well look where that put Grendel." Dain smirked.
"So… friendless, soulless, and a megalomaniac. On second thought…" Nayru said with an awkward grin.
"Don't worry, it's not like you committed high treason. I'll forgive you." Dain playfully said, patting her back.
Before they knew it, another year flew by. In that time, Taiyang and Summer had gone on a number of dates, and in another month, married. The next year, Taiyang was gifted with his second daughter. She was given the name Ruby Rose, a decision to give her Summer's maiden name from Qrow.
"Just by looking at her, I can already tell she'll make something out of that name." Qrow explained.
"She's even got your eyes, Summer." Taiyang said.
Summer gave a warm smile. "Ruby. My little rose." She nuzzled the infant, and the child laughed with her warmth. She then looked to Qrow. "If anything happens to me, promise me you'll protect her. Her and Yang."
"Of course." Qrow nodded.
The years flew by, and soon Yang could speak sentences. And Ruby was quickly learning by example. When Yang could walk, soon did Ruby. When Yang could talk, Ruby soon could too. When Ruby turned 5, her and Yang began using foam swords to practice fighting. They often followed example with Taiyang and Qrow, who often started by saying "Let's show you how a real Huntsman does it." The good times seemed they would last forever. Summer's cooking would grow better each day, and the team's fighting would grow even more so.
But it was not to last. One day, Dain, Nayru, and Summer were called to Beacon. Along with them even came Hyouga.
Ozpin sat with the most serious expression on his face. Dark cloud blocked the sun as the air moisture rose.
"You know why I brought you here." Ozpin said.
"We do. You've tracked Ron down." Dain answered. Ozpin nodded.
"Correct. If intel is correct, he is heading for Vale as we speak." Ozpin stated.
"Oh hell. If he comes here, it could be the Terrible Blaze all over again." Nayru gulped.
"From which direction? We could plan an attack." Summer said.
"He's currently coming from the north. From his current course, he should end up in Beacon Field." Ozpin replied.
"We can plan out a pincer attack. Sunner and Hyouga can come from the front while Nayru and I can sneak from behind, and attack him at once." Dain suggested.
"I fear that may not work. He will be expecting a whole legion awaiting his arrival." Ozpin said.
"Then we respond with one. We gather as many Huntsmen as we can and we go in with everything we have." Summer stated.
"And increase casualties as a result?" Ozpin questioned, Summer no longer seeming confident with her suggestion. "If we are to defeat him, we need a well thought out strategy."
"Then we attack from all sides. There's four of us, and he's by himself. Right?" Nayru said.
"From intel, Yes, he's alone. But that would be the most obvious attack pattern." Ozpin said, quickly pointing out the flaws of each strategy.
"Then what can we do?" Hyouga asked.
"I suggest you confront him. As a group. There is little cover in the field, so he will see you. It will be easier if the playing field is weighed in your favor. So after you engage him, we'll send the call for Atlas backup to arrive." Ozpin said.
"So you expect Ironwood to simply give you a back rub while we fight him?" Nayru growled. "Well I say hell to that! That bastard is taking Ron's body and using it like he owns it! If Ron is still in there, I want him alive!"
"You're right. If Ron is still alive, he may have valuable information." Ozpin nodded.
"I cannot believe you." Nayru said, slack jawed.
"I-"
"I don't give a damn about Salem anymore, Alright?! I want my friend back! He got on my nerves more times than I can count, but that's what friends do! If you want to question him, be my fucking guest, but I'm getting my friend back. That means we take him alive." Nayru said.
"But he-" Dain try to say.
"We. Get. Him. Alive. Okay?" Nayru snarled.
"Nayru, calm yourself. You aren't-" Hyouga said.
"I'm not myself? Sorry Hyouga, but you don't know a thing about me. You don't know what it's like to be a space to Atlas, to be taken from your home and put in a Dust mine for ten years- to be taken from your damn country and put into a goddamn iceberg!" Nayru shouted. Everyone was silent, until Dain spoke.
"You weren't born in Atlas?" Dain asked. Nayru suddenly snapped back, her face beat red.
"I…" Nayru choked on her words.
"Nayru…" Hyouga said. Nayru bust through them and into the elevator.
"Nayru, Wait!" Dain shouted, rushing after her. When he got to the bottom, Nayru was sitting just outside on the stairs, head in hands.
"Go." Nayru sniffed.
"Nayru, If there's something wrong-" Dain said.
"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Nayru shouted, pushing Dain on his back. "I… I was never meant to admit that. Especially in front of Ozpin." Nayru then sat back down.
"I'm not wanting to hurt you. Just talk to me." Dain said.
"You don't understand, Dain! I'm not really Mariana, nor have I ever been! It was just a stupid name I whispered in my sleep!" Nayru shouted, tears beginning to escape her hands. "When Ozpin said I was her, I thought then maybe. But you all have awakened, and… I'm just still here. Being left behind by my closest friends and family."
"What are you talking about, Nayru? We'd never leave you behind!" Dain said.
"But you are! Ever since we got here, I've been nothing but the smug one that thinks she's the shit, but then reality comes around and she realizes that she is… just an ordinary girl. A regular girl sold into slavery and is put in the middle of a great legend… only for her to be just a side character." Nayru took her hands out of her palms and looked to the sky. "I'm nobody. Nobody but a girl who can only dream."
Dain took her hand. "What's so wrong with that?"
"Don't try to console me, Dain." Nayru sighed.
"I can relate to you. When my village burned down, I thought it was due to a giant Grimm that was far stronger than anything else. But it was just regular Grimm, and they got in because one Huntsman didn't do his job. For so long, I hated the Huntsmen academies because I thought they were the same. But Beacon- no, team STRQ showed me that Huntsmen are sworn to protect the innocent." Dain explained. "And for the longest time, I thought the plans would never work. Because I was me. Because I was normal. But that's what I am, normal."
"Yeah, normal with another soul inside you." Nayru scoffed.
"Not like that. Tyson doesn't matter now. It's just me. And you. We're the great dragon of Vale. If one part of us crumbles, the rest follows." Dain said. He took his other arm and wrapped it around Nayru's waist. "So none of us are left behind."
"Dain…" Nayru muttered. A drop of rain fell.
"So we'll save Ron. We'll all go back home, no matter the cost." Dain said. More tears streamed from Nayru's eyes. "Which is why I'll help you in any way I can."
Then before he could react, Nayru pressed her lips to his. More rain fell as their embrace tightened, Dain wrapping both hands around her waist.
When fire and ice fuses, water is all that remains. And so water fell, drenching the two as the kiss broke.
"Thank you." Nayru said finally.
"O-Of course. Anytime." Dain said dumbly. Nayru laughed at his response.
"Didn't expect that, did you?" Nayru giggled.
"I mean, I sort of expected me to do it, but when you did it, it kinda took me by surprise." Dain said quickly.
Nayru laughed even harder. "I have my surprises too, you know."
"And here I thought your last surprise was that you weren't born in Atlas." Dain said. Which led to his next question. "So if you weren't born in Atlas, where were you born?"
"Mistral. In a little town called Kuroyuri." Nayru answered. "So since I'm from Mistral, the correct pronunciation is Lana Nayru."
Dain nodded slowly. "So… should we head back?"
"Nah. Let's just stay here a bit longer." Nayru said. They sat in the rain for another two minutes, looking at the sky with heads close.
"I'm guessing after this, it's a date." Dain said.
Nayru giggled. "If you're up for it."
"Alright then." Dain chuckled.
After that, they headed back to the tower, where they would plan their final battle against Grendel.